Choke Holds (8959_17)

Request

Are police officers taught during there personal safety training to apply a “choke hold” to persons neck, and it what circumstances would this be justified

Please supply any copies of any policy document or any other documentation that approves or disapproves this practise

If person is thought to have swallowed an object what are police officers taught to do

Please supply any copies of any policy document or any other documentation that that set out the procedure

What Choke holds or neck holds are approved in the use of restraint of person.

Please supply all relevant policy documents

Response

Please find below the responses to the questions..

Are police officers taught during their personal safety training to apply a “choke hold” to persons neck, and it what circumstances would this be justified

Please supply any copies of any policy document or any other documentation that approves or disapproves this practise

There are no “choke” holds that are taught to officers only releases FROM a subject choke holding an officer. Techniques such as chokes or strangles are not taught to officers. Therefore neck restraints are not taught within West Midlands Police

If person is thought to have swallowed an object what are police officers taught to do

Please supply any copies of any policy document or any other documentation that that set out the procedure

At present the current 10th Edition of the First Aid Manual (page 94 – “Choking Adult”) is what is taught in relation to a choking casualty which is part of the 3hrs First Aid course which all regular front line officers should have as part of their Personal Safety Training or First Aid input

From the Safer Detention Composite Policy for West Midlands (In regards to the management of a person in custody) – “If it is known or suspected that a detainee has swallowed or packed drugs, either for the purpose of trafficking or to avoid imminent arrest or detention by police officers, the person must be treated as being in need of urgent medical attention and taken straight to the nearest hospital, preferably by ambulance.”

What Choke holds or neck holds are approved in the use of restraint of person.

Please supply all relevant policy documents

None are used within West Midlands Police Personal Safety Programme – see point 1

West Midlands Police Detention and Custody Policy including Standard Operating Procedures is available on the following website